The difference between forever and Never
by PuppiesPeeOnFlowers
Summary: R&R. Sora has been in a coma for two years, and when he wakes up, he's forgotten everything about Riku, his best friend! But the dream he'd lived in for two years has made him realize something important. Now, if only he could remember that, too.
1. Nightmares in a Dream

Alright, so I understand that this is a confusing fanfiction, but I actually meant for it to turn out somewhat like that. It'll get better, and as the story goes along I hope you'll be able to better grasp what's going on. But, for right now, I hope my (mediocre at best) writing style and the (decent) plot will keep you interested. This is an A/U fanfiction of sorts, and I'm not sure how long it will go. I don't own Kingdom Hearts, nor do I own either of the characters. Reviews and comments are much appreciated and make my day. Also, this IS Riku&Sora, so if you don't like the pairing, don't read.

…

He'd had so much time to think about it, he seriously felt that he might go insane. Forever was such a long, long time. He knew this because he felt as though his search for those friends, the part of his heart that was so precious and irreplaceable he wouldn't be able to live without it, felt like forever. But now that he sat watching the sunset, lids half closed and eyes glazed over with a look of fading hope, he realized that never was just as long a time. How had he not ever realized this before? This endeavor had made him so much more mature in both body and mind, and for that he was thankful. Now he understood the importance of what a person needed in order to live, and stay sane. The difference between good and bad; friendship and love.

As that final thought popped into his mind, Sora dropped his head, the breeze blowing through his unruly hair and his eyes closing completely, a somewhat saddened smile crossing his face. "Alright now, enough lying around …" he started, realizing that the reminder of his love for Riku only made him even more upset that this search was taking so long. He was so down in the dumps lately, because every clue, every last strand of hope or simple fragment that led him to Riku was being shattered or cut. There were all but a few traces left, and his heart throbbed painfully at the thought that maybe he would run out of places to look, and his love would forever be lost in the world of darkness.

"So-ra!" Kairi called from across the beach, waving him over with a smile, her long, red hair glimmering in the sunlight. She had been the one thing that managed to keep Sora smiling since his return to the islands a year ago, empty-handed and heartbroken. Now, at the age of sixteen, he was still searching, awaiting the day that Goofy and Donald, or King Mickey would return for him, and their adventure would pick up right where it left off. He needed that so badly it hurt, and Kairi needed Sora to smile like he used to so bad she couldn't sleep peacefully at night. The keyblade wielder waved his hand and hopped down from the wooden deck into the shallow water, stuffing his hands into his baggy pockets as he walked over to the excited girl, arching a brow curiously. "What is it Kairi? Hear anything on Riku?"

The girl pouted and folded her arms across her chest in response to the question. "Why is that always the first thing you ask? Can't it be something like, 'Oh, Kairi! Did something wonderful happen? Maybe something like, oh, that's right! It's my birthday!'" she exclaimed, obviously upset, but not daring to cross the line. She understood Sora's feelings better than anyone else on the island. After all, she had once had a crush on Sora, but once she had realized his feelings for Riku, her heart had been broken. It was obviously so much more difficult for Sora, and she would forgive anything he did, because she loved him, as any friend would love another.

"E-Eh! Oh golly Kairi, I'm so sorry! I didn't even wish you a Happy Birthday and the days almost over …" Sora spoke softly, rubbing at the back of his head as he looked down at his shoes that were wet and now almost completely covered in sand. Kairi, immediately feeling guilty for even bringing it up, smiled sadly and took a step forward, then rested a hand on the others shoulder. "Sora …" she started, brows knitting together as he lifted his head, curiosity evident in his eyes. "Don't ever change."

…

It was going to be another sleepless night, and Sora knew this from his immediate tossing and turning as soon as he crawled into bed and under the covers. He was so tired, but his mind just wouldn't allow him to sleep. In some ways, that was good. The nightmares he had tormented him, and tonight there was not a chance of benevolent dreaming; not with what Kairi had said today. It was the same thing she had said two years ago, before everything had started. God, if only he could return it to that time.

Grunting, Sora sat up and pressed his hands to his eyes. "C'mon, Sora, c'mon. Pull it together. This isn't you." The brunette spoke softly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he stared out the window, gazing at what could be seen of the moon behind the clouds. Riku had to be somewhere, right? Ah, that was it. Now that he'd gotten his mind on the man that made him so upset, he wasn't even going to be able to sit still. Hurriedly the boy hopped off of his mattress and trudged out of his room, then quietly exited his house so as not to wake his family. For once, he was glad they rarely paid attention to him. It was time for him to head to their secret spot, the cave they'd always went to as kids. That was the place he'd gone to almost every night since his return in hopes that Riku might be there. That had long since diminished, and now he just found it a comforting place of remembrance. It brought him peace, for a while. Riku would never be there, but his presence could still be sensed.

It took too long to get to his destination, and by the time he was actually inside the cave, Sora felt the overwhelming sensation of sleep returning to take him over. "It won't be so bad to sleep in here, I guess." The brunette mumbled to himself as he walked slowly into the dark cave, stopping as soon as he was in the middle, eyes scanning the walls and stopping on the picture of him and Kairi. "We're here … Jeez, Riku, you're such a party pooper." Sora muttered, laughing as he stepped closer and touched the wall, rubbing his thumb on the crude drawing, then pressing his forehead against the cool stone. "I miss you so much …"

"_I miss you, too."_

Cerulean orbs widened as Sora turned abruptly, scanning the dark area as he tried to find the source of the voice. "Who's there!" he called, voice slower then he'd intended for it to be. In return, he heard the softest of chuckles, low and mellifluous. It made his heart pound and slowly, cautiously, he stepped away from the wall. "Riku … ?" Sora dared to guess, voice desperate, almost pleading. "God, Riku, is that you?" he asked softly.

"You look and act the same as ever, don't you, Sora?" the voice replied as strong arms were wrapped around the boys waist and a face was nuzzled into his tan neck, making him gasp softly and shiver, cheeks tinting pink as he managed to catch silver locks with his peripheral vision. "R-Riku …" Sora choked, tears welling in his eyes as he rested shaky hands on the on the arms wrapped around him. "I've been looking … for so long … Riku …" the brunette muttered pitifully, lowering his head as the silverette kissed his skin softly, only to turn him and tighten his grip. "I'm flattered." Riku spoke softly, moving a hand through the others spiked hair before carefully leaning closer so that their faces were just inches apart.

Tears slowly rolled down tan cheeks as Sora closed his eyes, frightened that he was dreaming. But, when he opened them once again, Riku was still in front of him, a soft smile on his face. "God, I'm not dreaming …" he spoke, choking with the realization as he brought up a hand to stroke the pale cheek. "It's really Riku …" Sora smiled, his tears turning to those of sheer joy as the man pressed in closer, bringing the brunette into a chaste kiss. "Sora, don't ever forget what this meant." He said in a voice softer then a whisper, not giving the boy time to process the true meaning of the words before he closed his eyes and breathed deeply. "I know we'll see each other again."

Sora, still blushing from the sudden kiss he'd received, gave a sudden blink. "What? You're leaving?" the brunette felt desperation creep into his voice once again. "No, Riku, you can't! I need you! I need you so much! You … you don't understand!" he called, tears returning to the corners of his eyes for the second time that day. But by the time he'd run out of the cave after the figure, arm extended and voice calling in hope, it was too late. The man had disappeared just as soon as he had appeared.

…

"_He's waking up …"_

"_Oh my god, it's a miracle …"_

"_Get his mother on the phone!"_

"_Hurry, call the doctor!"_

Sora slowly woke to the beeping of several machines and voices of people he didn't recognize. The room, totally white and smelling completely unfamiliar, was uncomfortable, as were the garments and face mask he was breathing into. "Where am I …?" he asked, looking around, eyes blurry. He caught a single figure staying still amongst all the others that were running around in a panic. What was going on? He couldn't remember anything. His head was pounding, and someone was … holding his hand. Squeezing it was more like it. As soon as the blur was clear, he saw who it was; the guy sitting beside him, a relieved smile on his face. He looked oddly familiar, yet it was weird, because he knew he'd never seen the guy ever in his entire life. And yet here he was, having his hand held like a baby by the guy who, he did admit, was gorgeous.

"Sora, oh thank god. I thought I'd never see you again. Everyone was so worried, and your mom, man, after she heard you got hit by that truck, she was just f-" Sora abruptly stopped the other as he sat up and stared, slowly pulling his hand away and wondering why he felt so sad when he did. Maybe he was confusing sadness with pain, because his body was aching like crazy. "Who …" the brunette began. "Who are you again?" he cocked his head, brows furrowing together as the other boy widened his eyes, a sudden hurt look crossing his face before he laughed, an unrecognized morose tone hidden beneath his cool façade. "I should've guessed …" the man whispered before leaning back in his chair and extending his hand, waiting for Sora to take it.

"I'm Riku. It's nice to see you again, Sora."


	2. Amidst Familiar Unfamiliarities

"Oh, Riku! You're back!" Sora called excitedly, a goofy smile that much resembled those he'd always given before the accident crossing his face as the silverette entered his room. A soft sigh left pale lips as the other managed a nod, then sat down in the chair closest to the bed, as he always did when he was visiting Sora. It was the same seat he'd sat in everyday for those two years, so why was it going to change now that Sora was awake?

It had been two weeks now, and the brunette was still in the hospital. Of course Riku had come to visit him everyday, immediately making his way to the boys room in the hospital as soon as he got off of work and staying until visiting hours were over. Sora still couldn't seem to remember a thing about him, but that didn't stop Riku from trying. He spoke often of what Sora was like, and of the things they did together; how close they were. The brunette was intrigued, and they were already reputable friends, though the relationship was not what Riku wished it to be. Sora was not Sora, and he couldn't stand it.

But today the boy was getting discharged, and he would have all the time in the world to spend with him. Sora's mother had given up hope too soon and moved with her company, a job from which she wasn't sure when she'd be able to come back from, and his father had long since moved on. This left him, and only him, around to take care of the boy. He wasted no chance in taking the opportunity. After all, Sora was his best friend, and this minor setback wouldn't change that.

"I can't wait to be outta here. From how you talk, it sounds like we're gonna do a lot of really cool things together, right, Riku?" Sora spoke up, interrupting Riku's train of thought as he looked over at the man, bright eyes boring into him happily. "Hm. I suppose we might, if you don't accidentally kill yourself trying to get out of bed." He smiled cockily, watching as Sora's smile turned into first a frown, then a pout. Riku knew very well that Sora still couldn't walk yet. After lying around in bed for two years and not using the things, it would be nothing short of a miracle if he could! But the doctors had informed him that Sora was a remarkable lad; It wouldn't be much longer before he'd be able to walk around on his own, but for now, Riku was going to have to wheel the brunette around, or hold him up as he tried to get around. "What? I'm not stupid, you know!" the boy soon retorted, folding his arms and snuffing his nose in the air.

"Oh really? Well, you have awhile to convince me yet." Riku spoke, receiving a 'Hey!', and then a laugh from his spiky-haired friend. "Ah, who am I kidding. You know me better then I know myself right now!" Sora laughed, dropping his head and closing his eyes as he scratched the back of his head. "Hm …" the elder of the two said, tilting his head to the side and frowning. He'd always been able to read Sora; that boy was never any good at hiding his emotions. Now there was nothing to hide, and it frightened Riku to think that maybe, just maybe, Sora might never remember, and he'd never be able to predict what his gullible little friend was thinking. He liked that. He loved knowing just what was on the boys mind. It was a feature that drew him in.

For probably the thousandth time that day, the silverette sighed, then ran his fingers through his hair. "I don't want to start over." He murmured just as Sora stopped his laughing. "What was that?" the other asked, a smile on his face and genuine curiosity in his voice. Riku smiled slightly, then leaned forward, smile turning into a smirk. "I said, it's a pain in my ass if you don't hurry up and remember how to feed yourself." Soon Sora was back to snuffing his nose in the air and repeating that 'He wasn't an idiot'.

…

Riku was incredibly nervous as he drove home, Sora in the passenger's seat, face pressed to the window as he stared at the city that passed him by. He often remarked about the flashy cars, or the people that walked on the streets even though it was late, or even the buildings that people seemed to flow endlessly from. "You really don't remember anything, do you?" the elder asked, laughing quietly as he kept his eyes on the road. "I bet you can't guess which apartment building is mine." Riku spoke, arching a brow as Sora turned his head, brows furrowing together. "Ahh …" he mumbled, trying his best to remember one of them. It was difficult, and none of them seemed familiar. "That's what I thought." The silver haired man murmured in a slightly saddened tone before pulling into the parking lot of one of the nicer apartment complexes.

Once the car was off, he leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes, trying to forget his worries and think of what the hell he was going to do with a situation such as this. He wasn't sure what he was going to do about the whole work and Sora situation. There was no way he could quit working, but he was also positive that it was impossible to leave the brunette alone right now. Or, maybe it wasn't and he was just being a pessimist. He must've cared too much. It was hard not to, because he didn't want anything else to happen to the boy. As always, his thoughts were interrupted by Sora's gorgeous voice, his arm being shaken slightly by a tan hand. "Hey, hey. Are you going to show me which room is yours? Help me get this thing off, will you? It's way uncomfortable!" Sora whine, pointing to his seatbelt. Riku merely gave an exasperated sigh.

"You're always such a child."

…

"It is a nice place." Sora commented. That was the first thing he said when he set eyes on the decently sized apartment. The very messy, decently sized apartment. Riku covered his face and tried not to groan, forgetting he had stopped cleaning after Sora's accident. He'd just been so unhappy, and he was almost never home, there was never really a need. "Well, thank you, I suppose." He murmured, closing his eyes as he rubbed his temple, then locked the door behind the two of them. It wasn't so much of a pain getting to his room on the fourth floor as he thought it would be, thank goodness. The elevator was empty and, even thought Sora argued and argued, Riku wouldn't allow the boy to walk up to the room. So he was rolled in the wheelchair, which the elevator easily held. As soon as they were inside the room, though, Sora stood to his feet, then rested his hands on his hips and grinned triumphantly.

"See! That doctor doesn't know what he's talking about!" the brunette informed with a nod and smile as he stepped forward and stopped, legs wobbling. "Sora, that's not a good idea." Riku scolded as he stepped over, brows knitting together in concern. "What? But I can do this, for real! I can walk!" he said, somewhat sad that the other man didn't believe him. Hearing this, Riku turned away for a moment, then convinced himself to let the boy do as he pleased for just a little bit longer. After all, walking was a good thing, right? He needed to get used to doing it again, right? "I believe you can do it." He murmured through gritted teeth, feeling as though he should yank the other back into his wheelchair, but knowing there was no need. He noticed the tired expression that was making it's way across the brunette's features. He wouldn't be standing for long, and for what reason, Riku didn't feel he should care. Until Sora actually started to walk.

The first few steps were clumsy, but he managed to hold his own as Riku watched, eyes cautious. And just as he began to feel that maybe Sora would make it just fine on his own, the man collapsed and the silverette was rushing over, catching him just seconds before he collapsed to the ground, a look of sheer determination on his face.

"Lemme try it again." He said confidently, looking into the eyes of the man that was holding him tightly. His heart was beating wildly in his chest, and he couldn't quite understand just why that was. The only explanation for it was that maybe those few steps had worn him out. If that was the case, he absolutely had to keep going and get used to doing this. It was insane to be so tired from doing so little! "Don't be an idiot. It's time for you to get some sleep. Actually, it's time for both of us to get some sleep." The elder spoke, helping Sora back on his feet. When the brunette informed Riku that he could walk on his own, the silverette backed away, only to return and catch the younger from falling again.

"Looks like I'm carrying you, hm?" Riku snickered, then picked the boy up bridal style and started off to the bedroom in a nonchalant manner, ignoring his friends complaints. This was difficult. This was way difficult. This was extremely difficult. It was a pain in the ass. And yet, he was enjoying it. He loved being this close to the person that set his heart ablaze and made him feel like no other person could. It was weird, but he had always figured it was just because he and Sora were best buds, and Sora always knew just what to say to him, or just how to act. He even knew just the right stupid face to make at just the right moment! That was why Riku wasn't sure how he could still be enjoying this when this person, this Sora, didn't know how to do any of that. Well, they were still friends.

Setting the boy down on the bed, Riku moved to his drawer and started to rummage around for something he could wear to bed, mind now cleared of thoughts that were irrelevant at the moment. "Since you can sleep in that hospital gown or whatever you wanna call it, just get under the blanket. I'll join you in a second." The man informed as he finally pulled out pants and a top of his own, then sent a dashing smile Sora's way as he headed into the restroom.

"We're sharing a bed?" Sora called behind him, leaning over slightly, a questioning look on his face. "What did you expect? I can't let you outta my sight for a minute." The other informed, making Sora's heart leap for reasons unknown. "A-Alright …" he murmured, crawling under the blanket and sighing. He didn't know this person, and yet that aura he had … The way he spoke … Everything about him was familiar, and he felt as if he'd known him forever. He felt like if he had to be separated from Riku, he might seriously not be able to function anymore. And there was no one else he'd seen who made him feel just that way, no one else he'd met that gave him the goosebumps or reminded him of …

"Mm." Sora rubbed his head and furrowed his brows as he started to drift to sleep. Riku, he was so much like a certain person he had once felt so strongly for. Oh god, if only he could remember what had happened inside of his little dream world, or even all the things that had happened before he got hit by a truck, this would make sense. Maybe he wouldn't be feeling so miserable.

A few minutes later Riku emerged from the restroom, lips parting as he readied himself to speak. However as soon as he noticed the brunette's steady breathing under the covers, he closed his mouth, then gave the faintest hint of a warm smile as he stood in the doorway, arms folded across his chest. "Sora." He whispered, glad he could say that name without having to wish for the boy to return to his side. Hurriedly he turned off the lights that had been left on, then crawled into bed beside the brunette, a soft yawn escaping his lips. And just as soon as he was underneath the clothe as well, he turned to face the tanned youth, eyes searching his face for a sign to show that maybe the boy was awake. When Riku confirmed he wasn't, he dared to moved closer and place his hand on the youths cheek, then caress the soft skin. It made his heart warm up instantly even though his body shivered in delight. "Sora." The man murmured once more with closed eyes, just to enjoy the way it rolled off his tongue. Then he withdrew his hand and turned so that he was facing away from the boy before falling slowly into a dreamless sleep.


	3. The Distance between Hearts

Just a warning, there's a mention of nudity in this chapter, though it's nothing explicit, and there's no smut, etcetera. Just fluff.

…

The taste of salt in the breeze that hit his face was the most pleasant sensation he'd had in quite awhile. School seemed to drag on and on, years of his life being wasted away as he sat in a classroom and listened to boring lectures on things he was sure he'd never be using. Today was the first day of summer, and so of course as soon as he'd gotten home he exchanged his school uniform for the suit he always wore during the months he was free of that wretched building. Once this was done, he rushed to the docks where he now sat, eyes staring at the receding sun as the ocean air hit his face and cooled him down.

Too lost in his thoughts to recognize the approaching figure behind him, Sora was quite obviously startled when he leaned back and propped himself up using his hands only to spot the man standing beside him.

"_Woah!"_ he cried, scrambling to his feet and nearly falling off into the water. Thankfully his wrist was caught, and he managed to regain his balance just in time for him to also regain his composure. _"Gosh, Riku! You're always so secretive, sometimes it scares me. Give me some warning next time you wanna sneak up on me, 'kay?"_ Sora informed, wiping a bit of sweat from his face as he gave a relieved grin, watching as the silverette gave a cocky smile. _"Then it wouldn't be called sneaking, dork."_ The elder of the two informed. _"Oh … I guess you're right."_ The brunette murmured before laughing and looking back to the sunset.

Once again, Sora was lost in thought, managing to keep his mouth shut as he stared in awe. _"It's beautiful, isn't it?"_ Riku asked as if he'd read the other boy's mind. At first, he only laughed, then turned to see Riku's hair shine in the light. Of course he basked in the glory of such a wonderful sight before replying, his goofy grin turning into a sincere smile. _"Yeah. I don't know what it is about this place, but I can't ever stay away." _Sora informed, dropping his head and kicking at a pebble that had somehow found it's way onto the wooden platform. _"Mm." _the silverette mumbled quietly before closing his eyes and breathing in deeply. _"If only we could stay here forever …"_

…

Slowly Sora awoke, his head pounding and his arms sprawled on an empty bed. As he sat up, he ran his fingers through his hair, gripping it and giving a soft groan. The throbbing was incredible, and he wasn't quite sure why. He had dreamt of something, though the memory was fuzzy. Perhaps that was what was making him feel so horrid, his mind trying to process or pull up whatever the heck it was. If all of it was going to be so painful, he wasn't sure he wanted his memories back.

Immediately after he thought that, Sora silently cursed himself, looking around the room and remembering Riku. He wanted to remember the other, and why the silver-haired man made his heart do flip-flops. Even if it was just for Riku, he wanted to remember how close they'd been. "I'm sorry." He apologized silently, looking down in shame, scolding himself once again for being so incapable of handling even such small pain. He would be rewarded, if he just waited.

Slowly the brunette pulled the covers off of his body, then pushed himself off the bed, eyes staring intently at his feet. By this time, his headache wasn't so bad, and the memory of his dream wasn't so fuzzy, though he seemed to only be able to recall bits and pieces of it. Once the boy was off the bed, he took a few seconds to steady himself, then slowly make his way to the restroom, gripping onto all the objects nearest to him so as to help him get there without falling. He wasn't sure where Riku was at or what he might be doing, so it was probably a wise idea not to call on him. Thus, he was going to find the shower without any help.

It was a surprise to see his wobbly legs take him there as if this were his own home, and Sora wanted to question whether or not he was one of those … Um, was it a psychic? It was weird to think that, though he couldn't remember a thing about this place, he knew just where the shower was. It didn't need much thought, though, and he didn't give it much, because he had to put all his effort into staying straight as he washed his hair and body in the shower. Somehow he knew Riku wouldn't mind his use of the man's things. Once again, how he knew this was a mystery he hoped to solve soon.

When he was finished with the shower, the brushing his teeth with the extra toothbrush that laid on the sink, and drying himself off, Sora wrapped a towel around his waist and walked slowly out, hanging onto the door handle for support as he hoped to find Riku so he could ask for some clothes. That task wasn't such a difficult one, for as soon as the door was opened, he came face to face with the frowning man, arms folded across his chest in a stern manner and a finger tapping on his forearm.

"Ah, Riku! Perfect! I wanted to ask-"

"If you could borrow clothes. Yes, I know." The silverette grumbled, leaning down and wrapping an arm around the waist of the others smaller frame. "Hey, how did you … ? No, I mean, actually, what are you doing?" Sora asked, blinking in confusion as his arm was taken and wrapped around Riku's neck. "Helping you. Stop trying to do everything by yourself." Riku mumbled, obviously somewhat annoyed that Sora had gotten up on his own. The man cared sincerely for his friend, and this showed greatly. The words that he said, and the way he acted gave a momentary spark of Sora's memory, his eyes lighting up hopefully as he thought maybe now he'd remember about their relationship. But it was a quick flash, and was more of a reminder then a memory. A reminder that around Riku, he never had to do anything alone. Actually, he felt saddened by the mere thought. The word. Being alone was such a sad thing. Sora felt his heart start to tighten, hurt washing over him as he thought of how lonely Riku must've been for two years without him. And then something else. What was it? He'd been lonely, too … But before he had anymore time to think about it, Riku began leading him to the living room, forcing him to walk with his still wobbly legs.

Once he was seated on the couch, Riku moved to the many suitcases he'd brought and opened one of them, then pulled out a suitable garment that Sora merely stared at. "What? It's your clothes. I brought everything over." The man informed, setting the articles of clothing to the side before indicating for Sora to rid himself off the towel so he could help the man dress. "My clothes? You brought them? Well, thanks, I guess …" he mumbled, moving his hands to the towel before realizing what that meant. It wasn't such a weird thing, he knew, because in front of the doctor or even that female nurse, he'd been seen naked, but this, for some reason, this felt … awkward. He was embarrassed. "I can dress myself." The brunette said, looking at Riku in hopes he would just leave. That, however, wasn't the case.

"Sora, what did I just tell you? This isn't a big deal. I'm not gonna make fun of how small you are." Riku sad smugly as his hands moved to unwrap the towel themselves. "Ahh, no, re-really, I'm positive I can do it myself!" Sora cried with a start, cheeks tinting pink as he tried to pull the pale hands away from the towel. He succeeded, but with the minor setback of also having the towel pulled back and his 'guy bits' revealed. Immediately he tried to cover up, wondering why it was suddenly so embarrassing. He could literally feel Riku's eyes watching him, even though it didn't seem to be anything bad. He just wanted to help, but this wasn't so helpful.

"What's so embarrassing? We're both guys." The silverette informed, swallowing the lump in his throat as he reached over with a shaky hand for the boxers that he'd laid on top of the stack of clothes. They were so childish, that was for sure. Leave it to Sora to still be wearing things with ducks and dogs. It was cute. Ah, wait, that was a weird thing to think. But, then again, it was only the truth. "Here, I'll close my eyes, so just remove your hands." Riku spoke with a sigh, wishing this wasn't as difficult as it was. As soon as the undergarments were on, Sora wasn't such a pain, though he still acted like it was awkward to be naked in front of his friend. The silverette did admit, if he were in Sora's position, he would probably feel the same way, but it would've all gone so much faster had the boy been more cooperative.

It was another twenty or so minutes before the brunette was finally clothed and his still wet hair could drip water freely onto his shirt rather then onto the tan skin that glistened and made Riku's mouth dry when he felt it should have the opposite effect. "Are you hungry?" the elder asked, standing and heading to the television, then returning to the couch only to hand the remote over to the brunette. "Yeah! How about … Ah … Pancakes?" Sora looked over, grinning profoundly when Riku arched a brow, then gave a chuckle before nodding softly. "No problem. I guess you did wake up not too long ago." He mumbled more to himself then to Sora. It was lunchtime, actually, but he wasn't going to say anything.

"Thank you, Riku!" the brunette called as he headed into the kitchen, Sora soon turning his attention to the remote. Soon he started to fiddle with it, turning the television on and changing the channels like mad before stopping on the cartoons. They were intriguing, but he still let his eyes wander around the apartment and finally stop on the large mirror that took up quite a lot of space on what was supposed to be the right side of the apartment. Slowly Sora stood and walked over, pressing his hands against it only to find it wasn't a window; It was a glass door that led to the outside balcony. Opening it with a little difficulty, Sora stepped outside and was greeted with warm wind hitting his face and the noise of cars in the street. It was unpleasant at first, until he noticed, off in the distance, a sight that made his heart leap. Small hands gripped the balcony railing as he leaned over it just slightly, wishing he could get closer and touch it, but knowing it was an incredible distance away. So far away that he couldn't even smell or feel the water hitting him.

The ocean was as beautiful here as it was in his dream. Closing his eyes, Sora tried to remember. He loved it, how he could easily sit there for hours on end and just stare endlessly out at the sky, and the sunset. But it was always better with … Oh, who was it? There was always that person who seemed to enjoy the ocean just as much as him. Sora couldn't remember anything but the figure, the cocky attitude, the way they both felt so strongly for what seemed like such a simple thing, and how looked gorgeous when the sun hit him just right. But what that person looked like, for the life of him, Sora couldn't remember. "It was just a dream, anyway …" the brunette murmured, thinking that perhaps it shouldn't matter if he remembered those irrelevant things. He should get back to trying to remember Riku, the Riku that was right here and trying to help him. The one that had, apparently, come outside without his knowing it.

After a few minutes of thinking, Sora felt a hand rest itself on his head, and he instinctively jumped, then turned, staring with wide eyes at a somewhat indifferent looking Riku. "Gosh, Riku! Warn me next time!"the younger spoke, resting a hand over his heart and trying to catch his breath. "Sorry. It's just fun to watch you jump." Riku informed with a small smile before he stepped closer to the railing, Sora turning to stare out at the ocean. "Riku, it's so far out there." He said in a soft tone, hands falling to his sides. "Yeah, I know." The other replied. "I can't smell it. Or taste it. I can barely see it." The brunette continued, smile turning into a soft frown as he held back the need to reach out. "I know."

"Riku …" Sora started, turning his head and looking somewhat sadly at the other man. "Why aren't we so close anymore?" he asked, not sure of whether he was speaking about the ocean, or of their friendship. Slowly a hand moved to grip his own and their fingers intertwined in an almost needy manner. "You and the ocean are the only one's who know." Riku said softly, looking into Sora's eyes with an unreadable expression. It was a few seconds more before he pulled his hand away, then began to help Sora walk back inside the house so he could eat.


	4. Half a Memory and Half a Heart

Okay, so I'm going to warn you now. In this scene, there's a bit of making out, but nothing more then that. It doesn't get too hot 'n heavy, so, you know. JUST A WARNING. DON'T LIKE, DON'T READ.

…

After spending just a week together, Riku realized that Sora really wasn't as different as he'd initially suspected. No, in fact, he was just as goofy and clumsy, pouty and even easy to beat in games of wrestling that he still often asked for as he'd been before the accident. The only difference was, now Riku would often catch Sora daydreaming, or just staring out at the ocean. Of course the boy used to do that before, too, but now he would stay out there until Riku forced him back inside, insisting he would get a cold. The brunette would even occasionally get excited about remembering things that never happened. It seemed he was confusing things that happened in his little fantasy world for things that he'd done here, in the real world. It was worrisome, because Sora spoke of a certain person that he couldn't seem to remember, but felt very strongly for. It unnerved Riku so badly that he had taken serious thought into actually quitting his job, just to stay with the younger boy and help him never, ever find out. Maybe it was selfish of him to not want Sora to talk about anyone but him.

"Riku, isn't it time to leave?" Sora asked, snapping his fingers and breaking the trance that the silverette had been in. "What? Oh, I suppose it is." He murmured, looking around the room and then standing to his feet with a grunt, leaving Sora to sit alone on the couch. "Well, I'll be back tonight, so don't do anything stupid. And don't leave the house. I don't care if you can walk now, you might seriously get lost, and apparently you can't work a cellphone." Riku narrowed his eyes, not at all blaming Sora for his inability to type in '911' or any other number, not even his own. "Ahh, whatever!" The younger laughed, propping his feet up on the coffee table in front of him and turning his attention back to the cartoon cat angrily chasing a mouse on the television. "I'm serious." The man repeated, leaning closer to Sora's face so as to get his attention. It worked well, for Sora immediately squirmed away and nodded, cheeks puffing out into a slight pout. "I know, jeez! I'm not a baby …"

At that, Riku frowned, then straightened the wrinkles in his shirt before turning and starting out the door, a worried look crossing his face just as it did everyday he had to leave the other alone. "Sometimes I seriously wonder …" he muttered under his breath, closing the door behind him.

…

Sora closed his eyes and rubbed at his temple. A lot of things had been coming back recently, but he couldn't quite separate what was what, or so Riku would say when he would bust out and excitedly report he remembered something. It was sad, because he wanted his memory to be whole, because when there was a piece missing from his memory, there was a piece missing from his heart. "Where can it be …" the brunette wandered aloud, frowning sadly, a face he didn't want to let Riku see. And there was that damn person he still couldn't remember. He was so smug, and cocky, and … and … Closing his eyes, Sora felt his heartbeat accelerate. Was it possible that he was … in love with the mystery person? At this sudden realization, Sora jumped up excitedly, eyes wide. He was in love! He was in love with the mystery person who always made him choke up!

But this was a problem. He didn't know who it was, or if that person was real, or just existed in his dreams. "Ah, my heart wouldn't trick me like that." Sora assured himself, nodding and smiling happily, extremely excited. He wanted to tell Riku right away, but at the same time, he wanted to keep it a secret. Yes, it was decided! He was going to wait and tell Riku he'd discovered this whenever he found out who he was in love with, and this meant he was going to work hard on finding out. Sora was eager to know more about what went on in his dreams, or even before that, but right now, his eyes had wandered back over to the television and found that the current cartoon was quite an interesting one. Well, he had awhile yet to find out all that stuff …

…

Riku rubbed at his temple, trying to think of a way to silence the girl beside him before finally deciding it was best he just accept her proposal. She could come over and see Sora for a little while and they could all chat and hang out, just like they used to, even though she didn't visit him very much in the hospital, a fact of which he was still very ticked about. "Yes Kairi, you can come over … I'll drive you, so it's not a problem …" the silverette finally informed, turning to face the redhead beside him, giving her a strained smile as he watched her eyes widen in shock. "You mean it? I can see him? Oh god, I hope he remembers me! I can't wait, thank you so much, Riku! I promise, this is-"

Before she could continue on anymore, Riku silenced her with his hand and shook his head. "Yes, Kairi, I know. It's going to be a lot of fun. It always is." The man murmured before pointing over to the station that she was supposed to be working, indicating that she should get back. After a few more excited squeals, she left, though not before giving Riku a headache. Thinking about it, he regretted ever accepting her request. He was already getting jealous of someone other then him spending time with a vulnerable Sora who's feelings could easily be manipulated. Why he was so jealous, he had no idea. One night of another's company wouldn't be so bad for Sora, but he wanted it to be only him. God, he really was a selfish bastard when it came down to it.

"Sorry, Sora." He whispered to himself, shaking his head and running his fingers through his own silver locks. "Guess you got stuck with the worst possible person to help you recover." And that was probably true. Well, maybe Kairi would spark a memory or two. Kairi and him were close friends, even after Sora began to distance himself. It was odd, and Riku still never knew the reasons as to why Sora one day, after they both were hanging out at the beach, decided to begin distancing himself. But it wasn't from everyone. No, it was just Riku who took the blow, and it hurt to see that everyone would get a smile and a laugh from Sora, but when he would get near the boy would turn away, if he even managed to get near at all. Perhaps Sora losing his memories was a blessing in disguise.

Ah, there he went again, being selfish. He wanted the old Sora back. He missed the old Sora. He loved the old Sora, no matter how much the old Sora disliked him. Wait … loved? Surely he'd meant that in a friendly sort of way. Slowly Riku lifted a hand to cover his lips, staring incredulously at the counter in front of him. Love. He wasn't even sure how he felt anymore.

…

Sora looked up at the clock, satisfied that it wasn't much longer before Riku would be home. He had decided to be nice and tidy up just a bit, and by tidying up, he just threw the clothes on the floor into piles and placed the dishes in the sink, as well as the trash in the trashcan. There was really nothing else he could do, seeing as he was technologically impaired or something along those lines. At least he could use the remote, because the current cartoon that was on was way boring. So he began to flip through the seemingly endless channels, face scrunching up as he tried to find something. As soon as the door opened, however, he jumped up, grin spreading from ear to ear as he turned around and gave a loud cry of, "Riku, welcome home!"

It was too late to take it back after it was already out. He saw the redheaded female a bit too late, and his curiosity was instantly piqued. Not only was it curiosity, but it was also jealousy, or maybe something like he was angry? Like, how had Riku dared to bring a girl home? Woah, that wasn't like him at all! But, when he got a closer look at the girl that was now running over with a loud yell, she seemed oddly familiar.

"Kairi … ?" he softly murmured, the name forming so easily on his lips. The look on the girls face was incredulous as she screamed. "Riku, did you hear! He remembers! He remembers me!" Sora blinked, still unsure of just exactly who she was, but he did know a few vague facts. But he wasn't focusing on them. He was focusing on the dark expression that had made it's way across Riku's face as he leaned on the closed door, arms folded across his chest as usual.

"So I heard …" he spoke cooly, trying not to let out how unhappy he truly felt. As if the seething expression on his face wasn't enough of a giveaway already. Kairi didn't notice it, but Sora couldn't look away. He stared blankly, mouth slightly agape as Kairi began to chatter away. "Here, Sora, sit with me!" the girl said, sitting on the couch and patting the seat next to her. After a few seconds more, he was forced to look away, feeling like he might've just murdered his best friend as he sat down beside the girl. "You, too, Riku!" Kairi called. Slowly, grudgingly, Riku walked over, sitting next to Sora, eyes staring blankly at the wall in front of him as the brunette looked at his legs, ashamed that he had so easily remembered Kairi, yet had had to have Riku reintroduce himself. So, as the female chattered away, Sora glanced over at the now unreadable expression on the silverettes face, then began thinking of things he would say to him tonight.

…

After Kairi left, it was awkward. The two sat alone on the couch, ignoring that it was way past the bedtime Riku had set for Sora. The tension was near unbearable and Sora couldn't stop curling and uncurling his fingers, an action which made Riku want to reach over and grab the boys hand just to make him stop. It felt like hours before Riku finally spoke up and made what was left of Sora's heart break into small little pieces.

"What a nice surprise."

Immediately the brunette turned his head to face the pale man, eyes wide and mouth agape. "Riku, I … I didn't mean to …" he choked, trying to explain. "What? Who said I was angry?" the silverette said with a smirk that obviously told otherwise. He was jealous. It wasn't fair for Kairi to be remembered and not him. Now it was obvious to him that Sora cared for Kairi more then him. It shouldn't bother him so much, it shouldn't actually hurt this much, because he already knew, but god! He felt horrible.

"Riku, it's not what you think! It just … It's not like …" Sora started again, trying to find some sort of words to explain himself. "Her name just came so easily …" the other finally spoke, saddened eyes moving to the floor. That only served to get Riku even angrier. "And mine didn't?" he asked, glaring. Sora parted his lips to speak, but had no time to say anything before a pair of lips met his own and he was pushed to the couch. It was an odd sensation, and definitely not an enjoyable one, though there were short bolts of pleasure running through his spine. He could literally taste Riku's sadness through the rough kiss, and a loud gasp mixed with a whimper erupted from his throat as the silverette's tongue intruded into his mouth. Hurriedly Sora moved his hands, trying to push the man away and stop him before things got too out of control, but he was much too weak. His hands were easily pinned above his head by just one of the other's pale hands.

Still, he writhed beneath the elder, shivering and giving another whimper as their tongues mashed together and a hand made it's way under his shirt. It seemed that, just as soon as Riku noticed the expression on his face, one of confusion mixed with terror, he realized what he was doing and immediately pulled away leaving Sora laying on the couch, eyes half open, face flushed, and mouth wide open, his breathing heavy.

"R-Riku …" the brunette whispered softly, voice cracking as he moved his hands just in time for Riku to furrow his brows and bite his lip in shame as he turned his head away so he wouldn't have to look at the poor boy. "Hmph." Riku replied, immediately getting off of the other and standing to his feet, running his fingers through his hair and rushing to grab his keys. Hearing this, Sora sat up, eyes widening as he scrambled to get off the couch and follow the silverette. "Riku, are you leaving?" The other didn't bother to reply as he opened the door. "Wait! Where are you going!" Sora called, rushing over. Once again, Riku didn't answer. And, just before the door closed, Sora managed to grab a hold of the others shirt, eyes wide with fear. "You-You'll come back to me … Won't you?" the younger asked softly, needily. The question made Riku's heart stop as he stared into those damned orbs that made him want to ravish that lovely body. Why did he only now realize that he had such a strong desire to do these things? Why, now that Sora was so vulnerable?

"I don't know." He finally answered, pushing the boy back and hurrying to close the door, then heading off just as quickly as possible so as not to have the brunette follow. Sora tumbled backwards and landed on his bottom, staring at the tile beneath him with a momentary shocked expression. He didn't know? What good was that going to do him! "Riku …" Sora spoke sadly, eyes starting to water as realization set in. "Riku, you can't leave me here, dammit …" the brunette choked, covering his face and crying softly. "It's you … I love you …"


	5. Because I'm still searching Ending One

Everyone! Everyone who care! Sorry I took so long to update, but I promise this is nearly over! This chapter is going to be my first ending. Please let me say that once more; MY. FIRST. ENDING. If you dislike it, there will be a second! Thanks for reading, and please rate! Criticism is awesome.

…

Sora closed his eyes as the cool breeze made his unruly hair blow from side to side, the smell of salt that littered the air filling his nostrils like nothing else. What was he to do? A frown crossed his face as he pulled his knees to his chest, continuing to stare out at the blue ocean that was so vast. It amazed him, and sometimes he wished he could be a bird, always flying over the world and seeing the beautiful scenery there was to behold. Rare tears formed in his eyes as he turned to his side, remembering all those times Riku had been there, sitting beside him. But what right did he have to complain? It was his fault that their friendship was breaking into a million little pieces. Because he had kissed the man when he was sleeping, and because he dared to try and go further, he felt so horrible. There was no way he could ever face the silverette with a smile on his face again.

Still, no matter what the truth of the matter was, he hated it. He didn't want to be sitting alone on the beach as the sun began to rise in the distance. He wished for Riku to be beside him, holding him, telling him that it was alright, and there would be nothing to separate them. He wanted Riku to say, _"This scenery is beautiful …"_ Soft sobs wracked the brunettes body as he buried his face in his hands. God, Riku! He probably didn't understand what was going on, or why Sora was distancing himself, and he was sure the man would never understand why. He loved Riku. Sora loved Riku so much it hurt.

Before he knew it, the small, tan boy was standing up, walking lifelessly back towards his small home near the beach. What was it that caused his demise? The very thing that caused him to dream for two years in a bed in the hospital with a faithful Riku waiting by his side? It was his own stupidity. As his mind wandered off into depths unknown, a place where he could dream happily, the brunette stepped out into the road, and next he was seeing nothing but black.

…

Sora ran after the silverette with all he had. He was still somewhat weak, and despite the fact he could remember outrunning the taller man, that was all it was; a little part of his mind remembering such feats he used to be able to complete. Now, it was nothing. He was rushing down the stairs, knowing that Riku had too much pride to take them. "Riku …" he breathed, nearly falling down the last four stairs. As soon as he hit the bottom, he was out the door, he was outside, looking both ways before rushing across the street in an attempt to find the man. Minutes turned into hours, and the day turned into night as he finally stopped to rest at the park, a hopeless look in his eyes as he slowly sat himself down on the bench behind him. "Riku …" the brunette spoke breathlessly one last time as he stared at the night sky, eyes soon closing as he wondered what he was to do now.

"We go back home. Together." A voice could be heard. There was only one person who could so easily read his thoughts, and who had such a magnificent voice. It had to be … "Riku!" he cried, eyes shooting open as he stood abruptly, then turned to face the man that had been standing behind him, but was now slowly walking towards him. "Let's face it; you can't do anything without me." The silverette informed in that usual cocky manner. Oh God, how right Riku was, though Sora would never tell. A smile played across his face as he furrowed his brows in a thankful manner, then rushing over to hug the older man. "Don't do that! You nearly gave me a heart attack! I thought you weren't going to ever come back!" Sora cried, holding his friend tight. Much to his surprise, the hug was returned and he was soon looking up into Riku's radiant eyes and brilliant smile. "I thought about it. But …" he started, then slowly leaned down until his and Sora's lips were touching.

"I love you too much." The man informed finally, leaving Sora to stare in a dumbfounded manner. Within a few more seconds, he was gripping the silver haired mans shirt and biting at his lower lip to keep from crying again. "Stupid Riku! I love you, too!" And then they were embracing each other, sharing another passionate kiss as Sora finally remembered the most important thing of all; Riku had already given his heart over long ago.

…

"Sora! Sora! Hey, wake up already!" the redhead cried, pulling the covers off of a very distraught brunette who rolled out of bed. "Ugh… Kairi … What are you doing here?" he asked, rubbing at his aching head as he stared up at the girl. "What do you mean? You're going to be late for school, silly!" she spoke with a grin before moving to grab her bag. "I'm just going to head off, alright? You don't look too good, so maybe you should play hooky." The redhead spoke before waving, then heading out of his house.

His house. Sora looked around, immediately recognizing the furniture as his own. "Riku!" he suddenly cried, standing to his feet and looking around, eyes wide. No! Surely he hadn't been dreaming all of that up, right? No …

The brunette was at a loss for words. He slowly looked down at his feet, staring at the dirty floor around them as his shock turned into despair, and he wept. Perhaps it was wrong of him to hope, but who would've expected that even his body would torment him so? "That's right …" he murmured, turning his head and staring out the window as tears continued to flow freely down his cheeks, but a smile managed to cross his face despite his broken heart. "I'm still searching for you." He spoke softly before wiping at his face, then hurrying to his closet to get changed.

…

_"Hey, Riku?" _the brunette looked over at the silverette as he lay against the cold walls of their cave, allowing Sora to draw on the opposite side of him. _"Yeah?"_ he questioned, eyes slowly opening as the brunette beamed hopefully at them. _"No matter what other worlds we travel to, we're always going to be like this, right?" _Sora asked, drawing suspicion from the older man. _"I-I mean, you know! We won't drift apart or anything when we go exploring. I'm just worried, because, well, you haven't-"_ the smaller boy was silenced by a Riku that had walked over and pressed his hand to the boys chest, no visible emotion showing on his face, but a smile dancing in his eyes. _"Even if I lose sight of what's there, you'll always be in here. I promise."_ The silverette informed, moving his hand from Sora's heart and onto his own as he gave a quick smile. _"I'd already decided this a long time ago."_

…

Was it alright? Oh jeez, I hope so! Please, as I said, Rate and Review. Inspire me to write more! Haha, just kidding. Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for the next ending! Maybe. ;;


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